Misappropriation of American Legion Post 26 funds discovered

AIKEN, SC (WJBF) – American Legion Post 26 discovered Thursday, March 20th, the misappropriation of at least $1,200 and as much as $20,000 from the Post’s bank account.

According to a press release, Post Commander Frank Carson was notified Feb. 25, 2025, by the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Squadron 26 leadership, of an unauthorized transfer of funds from their bank account to the Post’s bank account. Carson made numerous attempts to reach the Post 26 Finance Officer, David Savage, which went unanswered. Email and multiple phone calls went unanswered between March 4 and Wednesday, March 19th. Carson contacted Savage on Thursday to discuss the Post’s finances and during that call Savage stated he had been withdrawing funds without authorization, for his personal use, since early February. Savage estimated the amount to be about $7,000.

Carson called an emergency meeting of the Post’s Executive Committee Thursday where action was taken to freeze the Post’s bank accounts, remove Savage’s access to funds and to Post property, and notify the American Legion District 15 Commander, who notified the American Legion Department of South Carolina per protocol. The Post Commander contacted the Aiken County Sheriff’s Department to file a complaint.

Savage served as the Post Treasurer since 2023 and helped raise thousands of dollars for the American Legion’s Youth Baseball and Softball programs. His fundraising, youth, and community activities helped him earn the 2024 Post 26 Legionnaire of the Year.

“We are an organization of volunteers, an organization of, and for, veterans, and today one of our own has violated the trust our community has placed with us,” said Carson. “We have followed proper procedures upon discovery to ensure a swift, thorough, competent and independent investigation of this matter, so that we may provide a full accounting to our community and our membership. We place a great deal of trust in our Post officers and in this case that trust was betrayed,” he said.

The post temporarily suspended fund raising and sponsorship activities and named an interim finance officer. An initial internal review of the Post’s financial records from November 2024 through February 2025 revealed unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling more than $17,000.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.